Feeling a touch grumpy with Xmas, when on FB especially, a lot of hypocritical psuedo-christian nonsense is thrown up by people with no religious practice whatsoever at any other time. Even in an excuse to be ‘British’/’English’ – whatever the fuck that means in the end – and the ‘right’ to have xmas.

I am not a christian. I hate all religious extremism, though I am not what I would call an atheist. I celebrate the midwinter festival in a secular way and to note the Solstice which pins the shortest day of the year to the calendar as an astrological phenomenon.

By all means have a religion. But don’t get all sanctimonious at xmas and put it in my direction. Keep it private and quiet, please.

And I hate to break this to you, but Jesus was not by any stretch English (Anglo-Saxon) or British (‘Celtic’). (Bracing myself for hate posts…) I think that’s a well-supported fact. If we accept the evidence for him as a religious figure he was Jewish and lived in the Middle East. You know, a foreigner.

Let’s enjoy the midwinter moments together with loved ones. I like that we have this focus in the dark to reflect and look forward. The days will open up now, the gloom will turn away.

But keep God out of it – and be happy that the light really is returning. Slowly.